Sprint Cup Preview for Indy

We have four drivers looking to kiss the bricks in this Sunday's race

RCR at the Brickyard ... In 19 previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has posted two pole awards (Kevin Harvick in 2003 and Jeff Burton in 2006), three wins (Dale Earnhardt in 1995, Harvick in 2003 and Paul Menard in 2011), 11 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes in 50 starts. RCR Chevrolets have also been atop the leaderboard for a total of 264 laps and with the exception of one, each entry has been running at the finish of every event at the Brickyard, dating back to the inaugural race in 1994. RCR is also the only team to have won the Brickyard 400 three times with three different drivers.

RCR in the NSCS ... In 2,330 Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 103 wins, 42 pole awards, 442 top-five finishes and 929 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.9 and an average finishing position of 15.8. RCR has earned 14 total championships (six Sprint Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, '87, '90,'91, '93 and '94, five NASCAR Nationwide Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR's three national series.

RCR New Hampshire Rewind ... Last race two weekends ago at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Burton scored his second top-five finish of the season (third-place) and Harvick notched his ninth-consecutive top-10 finish (seventh-place) while Menard finished 17th.

The Collective RCR ... Throughout the season's first 19 races, RCR's Sprint Cup Series entries have earned two wins with Harvick at Richmond International Raceway (April) and in the Coca-Cola 600 (May), notched seven top-five and 19 top-10 finishes with drivers Burton, Austin Dillon, Harvick and Menard. RCR's three full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers rank fourth (Harvick), 17th (Burton) and 20th (Menard) in the driver championship point standings.
Interactive RCR ... For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR's Twitter page - @RCRracing - along with the RCR Sprint Cup Series team Twitter pages - @RCR27PMenard, @RCR29KHarvick, @RCR31JeffBurton, @RCR3ADillon and driver Twitter page @KevinHarvick. Information about the 14-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages: www.facebook.com/PaulMenard27,www.facebook.com/OfficialKevinHarvick,www.facebook.com/OfficialJeffBurton and www.facebook.com/austindillon3.
Catch the Action ... ESPN's live coverage from Indianapolis Motor Speedway begins Sunday, July 28 at Noon Eastern Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

Paul Menard
No. 27 Duracell/Menards Chevrolet SS

This Week's Duracell/Menards Chevrolet ... Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 428 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This No. 27 Chevrolet SS is a new addition to the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable and will turn its first laps in practice on Friday.

Brickyard Stats... Menard has six starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His best start of eighth came in 2012 and his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win came in 2011. The RCR driver has completed 916 of 960 laps attempted (95.4 percent) at the 2.5-mile facility, leading 21 of them.

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Kissing the Bricks ... Indianapolis Motor Speedway will always be a special place for Menard as he will return to the site of his first-career Sprint Cup Series victory this weekend. The Wisconsin native made history in 2011, becoming the first driver to earn his first-career Sprint Cup Series win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Brickyard 400. After growing up watching his father's IndyCar teams race at the storied 2.5-mile speedway, the win proved to be extra special to Menard and his family after having a presence at the track for more than 35 years.
Double Duty ... In addition to driving the No. 27 Duracell/Menards Chevrolet SS in Sunday afternoon's race, Menard will pilot the No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event on Saturday afternoon. This race is scheduled to air live on ESPN at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, along with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network and SiriusXM Radio, channel 90.

Meet Menard ... Menard will join fellow NASCAR drivers, Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart, on Friday for Chevy Day at the Brickyard. Menard is scheduled to participate in a fan question-and-answer session from 1:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time at the Team Chevy Stage, followed by an autograph session from 2:05 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET and a Team Chevy social media session from 3:05 p.m. to 3:35 p.m. ET in East Chalet 4 and 5. The driver of the No. 27 Chevrolet will also participate in a second fan question-and-answer session on the Team Chevy Stage at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Race Rewind ... Starting eighth, Menard fought a tight-handling condition throughout last year's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, finishing 14th when the checkered flag waved.

PAUL MENARD QUOTE
Menard's Thoughts on Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway: "Indy (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) is a place where I spent a lot of time when I was younger. It will always be a very special place for me since it's the track where I got my first (NASCAR Sprint) Cup Series win. We've had a tough month so far, and we are looking forward to our luck changing this weekend. I've run well at Indy in the past, and I've got a brand new No. 27 Duracell/Menards Chevrolet for this weekend. I'm ready to get on track after having a weekend off and get back in the swing of things. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the greatest race track in the world and it's always a pleasure to walk through the gates at 'The Brickyard'."

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS

This Week's Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ... Kevin Harvick will pilot chassis No. 429 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This Chevrolet is new to the No. 29 team lineup and will turn its first competitive laps this weekend at the 2.5-mile oval.

Freaky Fast! Freaky Good! ... Jimmy John's joins Harvick and the No. 29 team for their fourth of eight races during the 2013 Sprint Cup Series season. The 37-year-old driver has competed in 12 events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since his first NASCAR appearance at the track in 2001. Harvick visited Victory Lane in 2003, earned one pole award (2003) and has collected four top-five and seven top-10 finishes at the historic track. The RCR veteran has completed 99.4 percent (1,909 of 1,921) of the laps contested and is credited with 92 laps led. Harvick was also the first driver to win the Brickyard 400 from the pole position and is only one of two Sprint Cup Series drivers who have achieved this accomplishment.

Find a Jimmy John's ... Jimmy John's, known for fresh, quality products and freaky fast service, has 21 locations in the Indianapolis area, including one less than two miles from Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 5945 Crawfordsville Road. Visit www.jimmyjohns.com to view the Jimmy John's menu, find your nearest location, order online or download the Jimmy John's mobile application.

Double Duty ... In addition to driving the No. 29 Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS in Sunday's race, Harvick will pilot the No. 21 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event on Saturday, July 27. This race is scheduled to air live on ESPN at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, along with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
See the Man ... Harvick is scheduled to join fellow NASCAR drivers, Austin Dillon, Paul Menard and Tony Stewart, on Friday, July 27 for Chevy Day at the Brickyard. The 2003 Brickyard 400 Champion will participate in a fan question-and-answer session from 1:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time at the Team Chevy Stage, followed by an autograph session from 2:05 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET in the East Chalet 4 and 5. Harvick's day will conclude with a Team Chevy social media session from 3:05 p.m. to 3:35 p.m. ET. Harvick will revisit the Team Chevy Stage Sunday, July 28 at 10 a.m. ET for a second fan question-and-answer session.
Race Rewind ... Harvick and the No. 29 Jimmy John's team settled for a 13th-place finish in the 2012 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after starting from the 27th position and battling handling issues during the Sprint Cup Series event. KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES
You have won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. How special is a win there, and why do you think you run so well at this track? "It's quite the place to win. I'm not sure exactly why we run so well at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but it's a good track to perform well and we've done so throughout the years. Hopefully we can do the same thing this time around because it's a fun race to win. We ran well at Pocono Raceway and Auto Club Speedway, so the longer tracks have been treating us pretty well this season. I just hope that continues so we can experience another Brickyard 400 win."
What are some of the challenges you face at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? "Track position. I think with this particular car, you have to get off of turns two and four well to get down the long straightaways. You really have to get your car to turn well in the center of all four corners to be able to throttle up and get your car to come off the corner with speed, and still be turning well so you have the momentum heading down the straightaways."

Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS

This Weekend's No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ... Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 426 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This No. 31 Chevrolet was utilized earlier this season at Michigan International Speedway in June where Burton earned a 10th-place finish.
Career Indianapolis Stats ... Burton has started every Sprint Cup Series event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (19) and this weekend's Brickyard 400 will mark his 675th-career Sprint Cup Series entry. He has amassed one top-five and five top-10 finishes at the 2.5-mile facility, starting from the pole position in the 2006 event.

Featured Cat Dealer ... MacAllister Machinery Co., Inc. will be featured on the deck lid of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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Race for Riley ... Burton and NASCAR/IndyCar driver John Andretti are scheduled to sign autographs and take part in a Supermarket Sweepstakes competition at the Kroger grocery store located at 8150 Rockville Road in Indianapolis on Thursday, July 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern Time. The drivers will guide shopping carts for two winners (selected via a random on-site drawing) in a 2:31 second shopping spree, collecting General Mills products which the winners will be able to take home. Autograph wristbands will be handed out at 4 p.m. ET to the first 300 fans. Shoppers can enter for a chance to race with the drivers from 4:00 to 4:59 p.m. ET at the store. See official rules in store.
Team Chevy ... Burton is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Team Chevy stage on Sunday, July 28at 9:10 a.m. ET.
2012 Race Rewind ... After running in the top 20 for most of the afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Burton's No. 31 Chevrolet suffered a broken brake rotor and relegated the Richard Childress Racing driver to a 32nd-place finish in the 2012 Brickyard 400.
JEFF BURTON QUOTES
How important is it that NASCAR races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? "I think it was a game changer for NASCAR. In the 1990's, NASCAR took over as the leader in motorsports. Going to Indianapolis (Motor Speedway) put us in a different category and we've gone there and put on good races and filled the stands every time. I think it was good for Indy, too. Bringing the stock cars there was a historic occasion and it ruffled a few feathers, but at the end of the day it was good for the race track and for the area. Overall, it has had a positive impact on the sport."
How hard is it to race around Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a stock car? "It's definitely not easy. You have to be aggressive and push yourself. The corners look the same, but they drive completely different. Turns one and three are at the end of those long straightaways and you would think they are the same, but they aren't. Turn three has way more grip than turn one, while turn two has the least amount of grip. Then you get into turn four and realize it has the most grip. Most people don't know this, but all of the corners also have different banking which makes it unique. It's a really interesting race track."

Austin Dillon
No. 33 Mycogen Seeds Chevrolet SS

This Week's Mycogen Seeds Chevrolet SS at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ... Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 418 in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dillon drove this Chevrolet SS to an 11th-place finish at Michigan International Speedway in June. This former No. 27 entry was also driven by teammate Paul Menard to a 13th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and a 17th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April.
Dillon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ... Dillon will make his first-career Brickyard 400 start on Sunday afternoon, but grew up attending races at the historic track with his grandfather and car owner Richard Childress. Dillon recalls riding in the pace car as a young child and joined the Victory Lane festivities with Paul Menard in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2003. As a driver, Dillon participated in the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year, posting a fifth-place finish.
All About Performance ... Austin Dillon will be teaming up with agriculture company Mycogen Seeds for the Brickyard 400. Mycogen Seeds is one of America's fastest-growing seed companies, offering leading genetics for farmers in corn, soybeans, silage corn, sunflowers and canola. A retail seed company of Dow AgroSciences LLC, Mycogen Seeds maintains a robust global research and development program to bring growers high-performance genetics with the latest trait technologies. Working together, the people of Mycogen Seeds help growers find opportunity in every acre. For more information about MYCOGEN® brand products, visit www.MYCOGEN.com.
Double Duty ... In addition to competing in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race, Dillon is scheduled to drive the No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet Camaro in the Nationwide Series event on Saturday, July 27. The race is scheduled to air live on ESPN beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Meet Dillon ... Dillon is scheduled to participate in an autograph session on behalf of Chevrolet on Friday, July 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. E.T. in Chalets 4 and 5 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He will also take part in a Question-and-Answer session at the speedway on Friday from 1:45 to 2 p.m. and again on Sunday from 9:10 to 9:25 a.m. ET on the Team Chevy Stage.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE
How special would it be to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? "It would be unbelievable to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There is so much history at Indy and I love going there. I've been able to go to the Brickyard 400 for a long time with my family. Last year, running the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race with my brother was really, really special. That's just history right there. To make my first Daytona 500 start and my first Brickyard 400 start in the same year is pretty cool. Mycogen Seeds is based in Indy and both RCR and Mycogen have legacies of success, so I'm excited to partner with them for this race. I hope to showcase both of our companies' successes this weekend."